Viewers Get Chills as Alexandra Daddario’s Creepy Witch Role Makes a Shocking Comeback

A storm has hit the Netflix supernatural scene. Viewers are clamoring to stream Mayfair Witches, a television series based on the trilogy Lives of the Mayfair Witches by the late Anne Rice, author of Interview with the Vampire. Since the series dropped on Netflix over the past weekend, it has soared into the Top 10 in multiple countries. At the heart of this surge is Alexandra Daddario, playing Rowan Fielding, the neurosurgeon who learns she is heir to a witch dynasty both glamorous and haunted.

While reviews for Mayfair Witches have been mixed, Daddario’s performance has received widespread praise. Fans and critics alike cite her ability to anchor the supernatural with human vulnerability. As the show becomes the fourth most‑watched TV series in the UK, it’s time to explore how Alexandra Daddario is pushing the adaptation to new heights, and what her work means for her career.

From Earthbound Healer to Witchly Heiress: Daddario’s Transformation

When Mayfair Witches debuted on screen in 2023, Alexandra Daddario was cast as Rowan Fielding, a New York neurosurgeon who discovers that her life is being tugged by witchcraft, family legacy, and sinister supernatural forces. The journey takes her out of San Francisco and into New Orleans, where she meets relatives, uncovers paranormal powers, and confronts a haunting presence.

Daddario’s casting was notable. Known for her work in film and television across a variety of genres—from drama to action—she had not been deeply associated with gothic supernatural horror. Her success in portraying Rowan lies in blending medical rationality with the emotional chaos that comes with embracing powers one cannot fully control. This duality gives the narrative its tension, and it gives Daddario a rich role to explore.

Critical Response: Why Alexandra Daddario Receives Praise

Critical acclaim for Mayfair Witches often points to its visuals, setting, and production design, especially in New Orleans. But among the most repeated compliments is the praise for Alexandra Daddario.

One reviewer described the series as “easily the best Anne Rice adaptation yet” citing “nuanced and complex performances all against a gorgeous backdrop of New Orleans.” Alexandra Daddario stands out among the cast as someone who brings authenticity to the role. The ability to carry the story, to portray fear, curiosity, guilt, inheritance, and self‑discovery, makes Daddario more than just a lead—she’s the emotional core.

Fans echo similar sentiments. Viewers who had not read the books say they were “blown away” and “swept away by the twists and turns and power play.” Many cite Daddario’s presence in these experiences—the way she inhabits Rowan’s confusion and courage—as a reason they keep watching.

Netflix Surge: How Daddario’s Role Propelled Popularity

When Mayfair Witches was added to Netflix, its rating on Rotten Tomatoes stood at around 59%, modest compared to some other shows in the supernatural genre. Yet, within days of its Netflix release, Mayfair Witches jumped to become the fourth most‑watched TV show in the UK. The second season is already released elsewhere, though not yet uploaded to Netflix in many territories.

This surge speaks to more than curiosity. It reflects the draw of Alexandra Daddario and how her name—her prior work, her charisma, her presence—helps bring viewers in. Whether longtime fans of Anne Rice or new audiences curious about witchcraft, Rowan Fielding serves as a gateway. Netflix viewership, social media buzz, and fan reviews seem to converge around her performance.

Career Impact: What This Role Means for Alexandra Daddario

For Alexandra Daddario, the role of Rowan Fielding in Mayfair Witches marks a pivotal moment. She has already been recognized in diverse roles: film, television, action, drama. But playing a character who balances science and supernatural, doubt and power, fear and control, allows her to display range in ways that few roles offer.

This role could become a defining one in her career. It may open doors to more supernatural or fantasy projects. It also gives her visibility among streaming audiences who may not have encountered her work previously. Being lead in an Anne Rice adaptation, especially one that achieves popularity, boosts her brand in genre entertainment.

Mayfair Witches has already been renewed for a third season, showing confidence in the series’ direction—and trust in Alexandra Daddario’s ability to drive the story forward.

Balancing Expectations: Fans, Books, and the Adaptation

Fans of Anne Rice are famously protective. Adapting beloved novels is a high‑stakes task. Alexandra Daddario herself admitted that she had not read Rice’s books before taking the role, but she was aware that fans’ expectations are high. Her performance has to satisfy those who grew up with the source material, while also making the show accessible to new viewers.

Her approach seems both respectful to the original work and aware of the different medium. She must embody the witch heritage, while translating that into scenes, expressions, pacing that work for television. Some deviations from the novels are inevitable. Some critics note them; some fans accept them; but Daddario’s performance is often cited as succeeding where adaptation sometimes falters—at keeping character, emotion, credibility.

The Magic of New Orleans: Setting That Elevates the Performance

While Alexandra Daddario is central, Mayfair Witches also benefits greatly from its setting. New Orleans, with its gothic architecture, swampy landscapes, and history of supernatural lore, offers a perfect backdrop. The contrast between modern medical life in San Francisco and the old‑world mysticism of New Orleans highlights Rowan’s displacement and discovery.

Daddario delivers her best scenes when she is surrounded by mystical atmosphere—moonlight, rituals, silent spirits. Her reactions in these moments, caught between scientific skepticism and spiritual belief, highlight how she is carrying more than just a witch’s journey, but a human being’s crisis of identity.

What Viewers Love: Connection, Suspense and Emotional Stakes

One common thread in positive viewer feedback is emotional connection. People say they “were captivated from the get‑go,” “on the edge of my seat,” “blown away having no expectation.” Many mention the twists and power plays that make Season 1 feel both unpredictable and suspenseful. In all of this, Alexandra Daddario is often named the reason the show holds together—if the storyline veers, her performance pulls viewers back.

Suspense, mystery, family legacy, hidden powers—all genres that require balance. Too much shock, and characters flatten; too much lore, and pacing slows. Daddario handles this by giving her character a voice, grounded reactions, vulnerability, and strength—qualities viewers say make the show more than a witchy spectacle.

Possible Criticisms and Areas for Growth

No performance is without critique. Some say Mayfair Witches struggles with pacing, or that plot threads are complex without always payoff. Others believe that charms of the setting and visuals sometimes overshadow deeper character development.

For Alexandra Daddario, growth might lie in deeper nuance—perhaps allowing Rowan Fielding moments of quiet reflection, retention of ambiguity in her powers, or emotional vulnerability without dramatic spectacle. Some fans hope future seasons let her character lean more into moral conflict, past trauma, or deeper atmospheres that reflect Anne Rice’s original work.

Final Thoughts: Alexandra Daddario’s Role in Supernatural Horror’s Resurgence

The rise of Mayfair Witches on Netflix is more than just another release—it may signal a renewed appetite for supernatural horror that is character‑driven, atmospheric, and emotionally layered. Alexandra Daddario is central to that resurgence. Her portrayal of Rowan Fielding shows she can bridge worlds—medical realism and witchcraft myth.

She is demonstrating what makes a compelling lead: vulnerability, energy, emotional honesty, adaptability. The show is not perfect, and the adaptation cannot satisfy every fan of the books. But her performance makes many willing to overlook storytelling gaps, because where Mayfair Witches wins most is in its atmosphere, in its moments of tension, its visual storytelling—and in Alexandra Daddario.

As the show climbs Netflix charts, continues into Season 3, and reaches more audiences than ever before, Alexandra Daddario may well become known as one of the definitive faces of modern supernatural television. Her journey in Mayfair Witches is not simply about magic or horror—it is about what it means to accept power, identity, and fear, and guide viewers through that journey with authenticity and charisma.